Blood Fever
by jato unit
Summary: incomplete . RoyEd . Edward Elric is the military's new guinea pig. Even his vampiric half is causing trouble, stirring up a fever. Now, Roy's body is bending out of control as well, his head filled with blood red memories of snapping jaws and sharp claws
1. Prelusion

**AN: **Yeah. I know it's about time that I started this. Ha. I get distracted easily. Anyways, life is good. The PSAT wasn't as much of a pain in the ass as I first thought. School is also easing up a bit. Myah. I need to turn in a lot of forms though. Haa. Anyways, I'd just like to point out that this fic in much darker than the first. I do not kid when I say that. If you thought that the first one was dark, then well, you probably don't want to read this. This fic also contains lots of adult themes, so if you're easily offended then, well, sorry. There's a reason why this is rated M. Anyways, here's a little bold warning for people who never seem to read this little bit at the top properly.

**WARNING: This fanfiction contains multiple adult themes and mature content. Read at your own risk – or pleasure.**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Full Metal Alchemist.

----

**B l o o d . F e v e r**

- P r e l u s i o n -

----

_Doctor, I'm feeling a little miserable today…_

----

"_Three years. That how long it's been since they threw me into this dingy cell and left me to rot. I was sixteen when I first set foot here – more like dumped really – and now I'm nineteen, but my physical appearance hasn't changed much. I expected that, so it really didn't come as a shock when I noticed it. Really, there isn't much that shocks or startles me now. Not since what happened three years ago._

"_I was still a human back then. Shocking isn't it? We'll talk more about how humanity gave me the boot later. Just stay quiet and let me explain. Three years ago I was still the Fullmetal Alchemist, and on a quest to find the Philosopher's Stone, an alchemic amplifier that would make something as getting my younger brother, Al's, body back a snap._

"_The guilt's coming back. I broke my promise. I hadn't even been able to see or speak with my younger brother before this cell became my new home – they didn't bother to give me a trial. Alphonse had been visiting our childhood friend Winry and Auntie Pinako back in Rizenbull when my entire life was thrown upside down. Not many people outside the military know what really happened to me. Hell, only one person knows exactly what happened, but he's never going to tell anyone the truth. Why? I told him not to. Simple._

"_Ah. Now I'm getting off track. I apologize. Ahem. Now where was I? Oh yes! I remember now. I had just stormed out of Central Headquarters and was just cooling my head off. I've always had a rather limited patience – not short! Now, that cool autumn night I had just been minding my business. Well, that was until I had the absolutely brilliant idea to take a shortcut through an alleyway. Cliché. I know. But alleyways really are not safe, especially not at night. You have no idea what is lurking out there. I sure didn't know that I was going to be bitten by a vampire and then bite him back – another one of my brilliant ideas._

"_Don't look at me like that. I swear to God that I'm not crazy at all. No. I'm not in a mental facility. I'm in a lab. Get it straight. Oh please. Just because I have to talk to a goddamn shrink doesn't mean I've been forced into a straight-jacket and sleep in a nicely padded white room – that padded room sounds mighty comfortable though. The military decided that I should have counseling, but I you know that already. It's not doing me any good because I don't need to talk with anyone. I don't want to talk to anyone, but no one cares about what I want anymore. Shame._

"_In any case, that night I was turned into a vampire. Well, a half-vampire to be precise. The moon wasn't full, so it stunted the transformation process – something like that. It took me a while to completely figure everything out. By the time I did discover what I was many people had died because of my cravings. I began to hate myself and refused to drink any more blood. Essentially I was starving myself – anorexic vampire? – and because of it my body slowly began to waste away while the urges intensified. In the end I couldn't control myself and lost control. What happened then became known as the Grand Neko Massacre. I don't remember how many people died and frankly I don't want to know. Please refrain from telling me._

"_Humans could never possibly understand the intensity of a vampire's blood-cravings. I had it easy because I was only a half-vampire, but it was maddening. Even the faintest hint of that sweet iron tang would set me on edge. I suppose the closest a human could get to that feeling is a pregnant woman's cravings, but please understand that the blood lust is not something that is easily ignored. Hell. It **can't** be ignored. You loose yourself in it and wake up to find yourself doused in crimson and that bittersweet aftertaste lingering on your tongue._

"_After that dreadful night at the Grand Neko, everyone was shaken up, but not as much as me. It's rather traumatizing to open your eyes and find yourself in a room filled with mangled human bodies and the walls painted an unseemly dark ruby. _

"_Anyways, enough about my traumatic teenage years, I'm sure you honestly don't give a rat's ass. You're just like everyone other bastard in this hellhole, but I'll get hell about it later if I don't cooperate. Tch!_

"_The military was quick to suspect me. It turns out that there are a few bright crayons among the dull ones. How surprising. I ended spending a lot of time in the hospital because I stopped eating again. I refused to. Because of my stupidity and selfishness – I was willing to put others in danger in hopes that I would kill myself – I killed a dog that belonged to a good friend of mine. Well, I suppose it would be better for me to say that she was my friend because she was the first to point the gun at me, which resulted in yet another trip to the hospital. By this time that person I mention earlier? The one who knows the real story? He figured out about my condition._

"_Sometimes I questioned that man's sanity. He willingly helped a vampire, a being that could easily pin him down and kill him. However, just because I questioned his mental state doesn't mean that I wasn't eternally grateful to him. He really was the best thing that ever happened to me. No, I'm not going to delve and describe every aspect of our relationship. All you need to know is that I love him and I believe that he still loves me to. I sure hope he hasn't forgotten about me. I wouldn't blame him if he decided to push me out of his thoughts though. I'm really just a skeleton in his closet right now._

"_Ah yes. Back to my former friend. I ended up seriously injuring her while I came out with a few scrapes – easy to heal – and permanent colorblindness – better than permanent blindness. Last time I heard about her she was still in her coma, but that was over two years ago. I hope that she's woken up._

"_After that incident, I set off to search with that man – the one I love – in hopes that I would find a cure to being a vampire. Sadly, it was nothing but a wild-goose chase. The change is permanent. Once you've become a vampire there is no way for you to cross back through humanity's pearly gates – or maybe they should be black? Humanity has always been filled with sinful sots. However, I suppose my search wasn't exactly in vain, I ended up being able to change back into a half-vampire after the last stage of the transformation kicked in. Plus, I got my first kiss. At least I wasn't completely hopeless when it came to love._

"_During the time between my transformation and my arrest I encountered two other vampires, one male and one female. That female vampire, Lilith, was a bitch. I prefer not to think about her. Besides, she's dead. That's what the little bitch gets for breaking her promise and pushing my love off a balcony. The man, Raith, was actually kind-hearted. I didn't know that at first, but during my first half-year at the labs he was my cell-mate. It was then that I really got to know him._

"_It turned out that he was half-vampire like me and had to go through the same painful transformation at the end. His turning was accidental like mine. We actually had a lot in common. He'd been in love with Lilith at first, but she'd always treat him as if he were inferior – like dirt. He hated that and the two of them began to fall apart towards the end. Too bad that's all I got to learn because one day he left the cell and never came back. I feel that it's safe to assume that all the reckless tests killed him. I've tried to get answers, but the apes that are my 'guards' are incapable of stringing together words to form sentences. Dumbasses._

"_Now, as for my arrest, I was arrested because I was a murderer, a threat to society, and I attacked my superior officer. Hmm. Well, the bastard had it coming, shoving his nose into things that didn't pertain to him. Anyways, I had no trial because I was guilty as hell. Besides, the military would look like it was being run by a bunch of loons if they put a 'vampire' on trial. So they kept my existence hush-hush. I really do wonder what they told my family and friends because I'm sure that they didn't say 'Oh! Yeah. We're just calling to let you know that Edward Elric is a vampire and we're going to run some test on him. Have a nice day!'._

"_Ha. I can't help but laugh at the thought of that. But really, am I done now? I'm tired and I'm feeling a tad bit hungry…"_

----

Edward Elric swiftly pressed the stop button on the cassette player, lips pulled into a frown. The old player made a soft crackling noise as it lay in the young vampire's soft palm, the tangible recording of the blonde's first session with the military psychiatrist still inside. A soft sigh escaped the boy's lips as he slumped against the cold stone wall of his cell, the dirty cot beneath him screeching unpleasantly. His toes curled inwards, trying to escape the bitter cold that the old moth-eaten blanket was useless against. At least Ed wasn't completely human. If he was then he probably would've died of pneumonia by now.

Pale fingers reach up to run through the thick corn-colored locks, frequently snagging on knots and unruly clumps. What he wouldn't give for a brush, but last time he'd asked for one he'd been laughed at. Edward smiled sadly as his glassy butterscotch eyes took in his new pallor. Soon he'd be even paler than Roy. His heart twisted violently at the thought of the older man. It pained the nineteen year old to think of him. He truly had been rather cold when he had spoken of him during that one session.

Although Edward could not see it, none of the dirt and grime that clung to his thin frame could hide the ethereal beauty beneath. Not even the worn-out dirty gray rags he wore were able to distort that elegance and grace. Everything about him still carried that inhuman perfection that his full-vampire self had. He was a half-blood yet he still carried a pure-blood's perfection. It was hard not to stare at the boy and Edward was well aware of the stares he received from the ogre-like guards. Even after all these years, they still slipped into shock each time their gazes rested on the blonde, but they managed to recover from their stupidity quickly enough each time. However, their stares would always leave the young vampire with a dirty feeling that he couldn't shake off.

Edward pushed himself off his cot, the springs hissing and screeching angrily. The stone floor felt icy beneath his feet and he shivered. His eyes moved upwards to look at the guards standing in front of the cell's bars. The men eyed him warily, their bodies tensing up. Edward could hear their hearts beginning to beat faster and the adrenaline running through their veins. It was amusing how only a slight movement on his part could set these grown men on edge. They were frightened of him.

"I'm only stretching my legs," he murmured softly, just loud enough to hear. The guards remained as tense as ever. The blonde let out a snort. "Suit yourself," he muttered as he began to pace. Walking around this cramped cell was usually the most exercise he got and Edward was constantly itching to see the outside world. He didn't even have a window to gaze out through. A lonely dim light bulb provided him with all the light he needed. It was on its last legs though.

The rest of the cell was either covered in a thick layer of mold, dust, or both. Either way, it was ridden with noxious bacteria. There was a small sink in the corner – dirty of course like everything else – where a toothbrush, a glass, and a small towel sat. It and the cot were the only things in the cell besides him. The toilet was located down the hall and he was escorted there every time. At least the lab had given him some degree of privacy. Edward refused to do his business with five guards watching him. Besides, he was sure that if his pants went down then one of them would most likely try and take advantage of him. Rape, murder, abuse, it was all good down here in the lab. Builds character.

The blonde let out a small yawn, stopping for a moment to let his fingers move down to touch his toes. It was wonderful to have this sort of flexibility. It got rid of any sort of stiffness in a flash. Edward shivered again. Damn it was cold. He moved towards the bars. If the guards' hearts beat any faster then they'd most likely have heart attacks.

"Could you get me some more blankets? Please?" he asked as nicely as he could. "It's really cold in here." Or some nice wool socks? Those would do quite nicely. Maybe a scarf and a sweater too?

One of the guards, a burly man with an unshaven face, stepped forwards. The toothpick jammed between his yellow teeth wiggled slightly as he grinned, his calloused fingers grasping Ed's chin firmly. If anything, this man was even more repulsive than the cell Edward resided in and his breath was foul enough to knock anyone out. The blonde felt his stomach churn uncomfortably as the smell hit his sensitive nose. However, he knew better than to make a face.

"Well, there's another way to get warm and it don't involve any blankets," he slurred, half-chewed toothpick rolling in-between his plaque covered teeth. Edward jerked away, lips pulled back in disgust, his sharp canines glinting vaguely in the limited light.

"No, thank you," he replied venomously, not bothering to hide his disgust. His response earned a bout of laughter from all the guards. '_Pigs_,' Ed thought, slinking back into the shadows of his cell.

"Oh! Lookit! The lil' bitch is barin' his fangs," the man roared before lapsing into another fit of laughter. Edward silently hoped that he laughed himself into a coma.

Ignoring the jeers and laughter, Edward crawled back onto his cot, pulling the blanket around him, nose wrinkling at the unpleasant sour smell. He doubted that it had ever been washed. The springs creaked as he turned his back to the guards and let his head fall onto the pillow. He closed his eyes, knowing that as long as he ignored the guards they'd leave him alone and go play a game of cards. Perhaps they might even get so drunk that they couldn't walk straight. He chuckled softly at the last thought. Really, those men were even more pathetic than he was.

----

**AN: **Okay. It's started. Wow. Well, don't forget to review please. Reviews always make me happy.


	2. One

**AN: **Mm. Not really much to say, but thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I'm glad that you did! Wow. Halloween was so much fun. I went out with my two friends and got seven freakin' pounds of candy! You can only imagine how hyper we were. Well, there was this 'haunted house' thing, so we went inside and stuff. So yeah. There was this guy on the roof who was all like, "And then three big kids walked across the lawn, approaching the haunted house. Are they brave enough to enter?" Well, we were. So there was this guy on the floor. He made loads of noise and my friend told him to shut up so she could get her candy in peace. So yeah, while I was digging for something good, that guy reached into my candy bag and stole one of my Reese's. Okay, if you know me then you know that I love Reese's. He also scared me a bit, so I ended up kicking him in the face Oops! My bad!. Anyways, we got out as quick as we could 'cause we wanted to save our candy. Then the guy screamed 'I'm sorry!' and my Reese's cup came flying out and landed on my friend's hat. I was happy. The guy on the roof then says, "And right now you think you got out scot-free, but while you're lying in bed tonight you will realize that…" Then my friend decides to go and add in, "You're missing a Reese's!" In short we all started cracking up.

I'm happy. I got rid of all my M & Ms. I hate M & Ms with a passion. Seriously. But yeah, it was all cool. Anyways, enjoy the new chapter. Ah yes. I suck a writing 'steamy love scenes' or even partial ones. Well, practice makes perfect right? Murf. A bit ooc-ness here and there, but mah. I don't really care. I'll shut up now.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Full Metal Alchemist.

----

**B l o o d . F e v e r**

- O n e -

----

_Doctor, I'm feeling a little suicidal today…_

----

_He felt his heart thrumming against his chest as skillful fingers ran across his fevered skin, slowly pushing the fabric of his shirt upwards. His breaths were coming in pants and the heat was almost painful. Butterscotch eyes locked with obsidian ones for a moment and time seemed to freeze. Edward felt his heart leap up into his throat, his expression one caught in-between pleasure and surprise. The idea of that person being here was absolutely absurd._

_The two of them were in a small dark space. Perhaps a closet? Edward blinked and everything became clearer. He was still in his dirty rat-infested cell; pinned to his cot by someone he knew could not possibly be there. The cool air caused his skin to prickle slightly and everything was bathed in the warm golden glow of a barely burning light. He could hear the distant sounds of the guards as they laughed and tried their best to get completely wasted._

_The panic began to set in when Edward remember the guards that were only a few steps away from his cell. He squirmed around, trying to push the dark-eyed man off of him. The springs in the cot squeaked as usual, but suddenly everything seemed so much louder._

"_Roy," he pleaded in a hushed voice, "They'll hear." The older man just smiled and pressed a soft reassuring kiss to Ed's forehead, shushing him for the moment. The fingers beneath Edward's tattered shirt occupied themselves once more with the blonde's chest. "Roy," Edward hissed, louder this time, his gaze hardening._

"_Shh, Ed. They won't hear us if you're quiet," he murmured. The sound of the man's voice made the boy's heart swell and he let himself be lost in the impossibility of it all. "That's better," Roy whispered kissing Edward again, his lips this time._

_Reflexively the blonde wrapped his arms around the other's neck in an almost desperate fashion. Almost? No. It was desperate. After not being to even see Roy for a little over three years it wasn't surprising that Edward found himself clinging to the other male. He had no intention of letting go._

"_Well, you missed me," Roy breathed, slightly out of breath after the long kiss. Edward blushed._

"_Of course I missed you, dumbass," Edward muttered looking away, face turning redder. "I love you remember." Roy chuckled and gently grasped Edward's chin, forcing the boy to look at him._

"_I remember," he replied and pulled the other into a kiss, murmuring a soft 'I love you too' against the others already swollen lips._

_It didn't take long for Ed to completely forget about the guards sitting outside the cell. His mind was far too preoccupied with the electricity running through his body. Each touch was electrified. Edward could almost imagine his hair standing up on end from it, but the golden locks remained splayed out across the pillow._

_The blonde let out a small muffled moan as the kiss intensified. His fingers tangled in Roy's hair as he felt the other man's tongue slip across his own. Right now his heartbeat was becoming erratic from all the stimuli and his body becoming more and more aroused with each passing second._

_Roy smirked against the boy's lips and made the brushing of his cool fingers against Ed's hot skin. Edward shivered at the coolness of the man's hands, but he relished in the feeling. He pushed back against Roy, gaining the upper hand for the moment. Now it was the blonde's turn to smirk. He bit down lightly on Roy's lower lip, careful to only use his blunt front teeth. Roy gasped in response, pulling away abruptly, eyes wide. Edward smiled innocently and gave the hurt a gentle lick._

"_Sorry. I think biting has become a bit of a bad habit," Edward said, grinning widely. It was strange. For once the night's bitter chill didn't feel so cold and the lumpy cot not as uncomfortable. Ed bit his lip. He really missed Roy._

"_What's wrong?" the dark-haired man asked, gazing down at the other with concern. Edward's gaze locked with his._

"_You don't know how hard it was to spend all those days wishing to see you again." He paused. "It hurt, Roy." Edward sighed, his grip on the other man loosening for a moment._

"_I'm sorry," Roy whispered, lowering his lips to Edward's ear. "Now let me make it all better." Edward let out a gasp as the older man nipped at his ear. The lips slowly moved down to kiss Ed's neck, leaving little red marks that would fade away after about half an hour._

"_R-Roy!" Edward stuttered; face flushing a bright red when he felt the man's fingers slip beneath the waistband of his pants. Roy shushed him again with a chaste kiss as Edward's pants slowly began to travel southwards. Their final destination? The floor. We thank you for flying Mustang Airlines. It's been a pleasure._

_Ed gasped as the cold air hit his newly exposed skin. It was hard for him to focus. There were those fingers tugging off his clothes and the lips dotting his skin with red. He was drowning in a whirlpool of feeling and he liked it. There was no denying it. Edward Elric was greatly enjoying himself. He also had a pretty good idea that Roy was enjoying this as well._

_He suddenly froze when he felt razor-sharp claws tear at the sensitive skin of his thighs. The smell of his blood stung his olfactories. It was sharp and unpleasant unlike the smell of human blood. His eyes watered not only from the smell but from the pain._

_Edward began to struggle, but he was effectively pinned down. The lips on his neck suddenly disappeared and were replaced with sharp canines that swiftly pierced the tender skin of his neck. He let out a cry of agony as he felt more force backing up the bite. His vision blurred and he felt himself drifting out._

_Snap!_

_Crunch!_

----

Edward abruptly jolted back into consciousness, his breath coming out in heavy pants. He let out a low moan and wiped the back of his hand across his clammy forehead. A shiver traveled down his spine as he curled into a tight ball, wrapping his arms around his body. His eyes slipped shut again, his lips pulled into a tight frown.

It was always the same nightmare. Every time he fell asleep it would be there, all wound up and ready to be played until the terror woke his body up. Edward couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten a good night's sleep. The vividness of these dreams was really what terrified him the most. He'd always wake up with the same out-of-breath feeling and his body completely drenched in sweat.

He shuddered and wrapped his blanket tighter around his frame. Like always, the guards had decided not to give him a proper blanket instead of this rag. His fingers traveled up to his neck, rubbing it absentmindedly. The feeling of those teeth sinking in was just so real, but of course there was nothing there. There never was. After all, it was just a dream, a horrible dream, yes, but nothing more than a figment of his imagination. The mind really was the cruelest weapon of all.

The blonde rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He let out a soft sigh and ran his fingers through his slightly damp hair. A nice warm shower would be nice right now. It was as if a permanent chill had settled over him. His entire body felt sore and tense. Nothing seemed right. The dream had been so wonderful until that moment, but now he was left shaken with an uncomfortable feeling in the lower regions of his body.

The sound of the drunken guards laughing as they played a card game, the clinking of glasses, the sloshing of beer, the steady buzz of the slowly dying light bulbs, and the clanging and creaking of who-knows-what all filled his head. He was used to all these sounds now, but tonight the guards were far louder than usual. Edward figured that someone must've snuck in an extra bottle.

His lips pulled into a wry smile when he remember what had happened when he'd asked for a glass. The blank expressions he'd received were priceless. Really, these men were nothing more than oversized gorillas. He was tempted to get up and try his hand and getting a glass again just for fun. However, the chances of him getting any success was very low and the bulge in his pants wasn't exactly flattering, so he just contented himself with just lying there, basking in the drone of meaningless noise.

Edward didn't know for how long he'd been lying awake. It could've been for five hours or just ten minutes for all he knew. The constant darkness and solitude had thrown his internal clock out of whack. Sometimes he'd ask for the time and receive a grunt that he'd then have to decipher in response. It was really quite entertaining at times. However, when the sudden clanging of his cell door sparked his interest all the other guards had disappeared. The only one that remained was toothpick-man.

Edward's frown deepened as he sat up, back against the wall, blanket pulled around him. His instincts told him not to let his guard down. The man reeked of alcohol and Edward couldn't help but wrinkle his nose in distaste. That pungent smell had never appealed to him much, but the amount that hovered around this man made Edward fell like he needed a gasmask.

"What do you want," Edward hissed, eyes narrowing as he watched the man move towards him, stumbling more often than he walked, a lopsided grin plastered to his face. The blonde let out a low warning growl, eyes flashing dangerously as the guard moved too close for comfort.

"Oh, shuttap ya' bitch," tooth-pick man slurred, his completely bent out of shape toothpick falling softly to the floor, his hands clasped behind his back. "Yus wan'ed them blankets, no?" Edward eyed the man warily, nodding slowly. "Well, then yus gotta work for 'em," the guard replied, grin growing larger. "Equivalence Exchange. S'ats what yus alchemists always says."

It took Edward a moment to realize what the man was implying. The blonde made a face. It was a cross between utter repugnance and blind fury. "No, thank you," he replied bluntly. "Go away."

Edward straightened himself up, trying his best to look confident, but he couldn't help but feel some fear. He knew that he could easily take down this man and the man would've probably realized that if he weren't so drunk. The blanket that Edward had pulled up in front of him fell slightly, his erection clearly visible. The guard noticed it immediately and his grin grew wider.

"You lyin' lil' whore," he sneered. Edward tensed, pressing himself as flat as possible against the wall as the toothpick man briskly closed the last bit of space between the two of them. He winced as he felt the guard slap him sharply across the face, his cheek stinging furiously. "Yus justa stupid whore." The man had pinned Edward's automail arm to the wall and was busy fumbling for something in his pocket.

Edward let out a low growl and quickly wrenched his wrist away. "Get the fuck away from me," he snarled, giving the man a good kick in the side. The guard let out a pained grunt, but didn't comply with Edward's request. Instead the blonde earned himself another slap and was thrown down, his back pressing against the mattress.

"Goddamn," toothpick man muttered as he quickly pried open the blonde's mouth and emptied the transparent contents of a vial into it. The liquid slipped down the boy's throat, leaving him coughing and sputtering. Growling, he tried to push himself up, but he couldn't seem to find the strength. His wide eyes looked up at the guard, who still sported that predatory grin.

"Wha?" Edward murmured, his body becoming weaker by the second. He blinked dumbly. Something was not right here. He could barely muster up enough energy to move his pinky let alone speak.

"GHB," the man replied simply, still grinning. "I had to give yus an increased dose, but it seems ta be workin' good." He laughed. "Feelin' weak?" Edward tried to nod, but found that he couldn't. Everything seemed muddled.

All the blonde could do was lie there helplessly, body completely useless, barely conscious, as the man pulled off the rags he wore before turning his attention to his own pants. Edward closed his eyes, wishing he could just die at this very moment. The feeling of this pig's hands running across his body made him feel filthy, disgusting. He felt like he needed to vomit.

Edward heard the man's pants fall to the floor with a dull thump. He let out a defeated sigh and prepared himself for the pain that was to come. All could do was wonder what he had done to deserve all this. Edward soon lost himself in his thoughts, trying his best to imagine Roy instead of this poor excuse for a human being.

The pain was terrible. It seemed that just the basic idea of forcing himself into the boy wasn't good enough; the man smacked, cut, and did who knows what else to Edward's body. The blonde didn't care anymore. He'd resigned himself to his fate long ago. No one was going to come save him. Actually, he wouldn't be surprised if the other guards had encouraged toothpick man to do this.

No, what Edward really hated was that mixed within all that pain was a white-hot surge of pleasure that would surface with each thrust. He saw flashes of color and spots. At first he told himself that it was just the drug, but he knew better than that. He was glad that the drug had made him too weak to speak otherwise he probably would've let out a few cries that weren't from the pain. How easily the body betrayed the mind.

----

The man finished soon enough, leaving Edward naked body sprawled across the cot. Three hours had passed since the poor boy had been drugged and raped. The dying light bulb had finally given out and the boy had been plunged into darkness. Edward was grateful for it. It meant that he wouldn't have to look at his filthy, bruised body.

The effects of the drugs had worn off already, but Edward refused to move. His body ached and hurt everywhere. He also felt disgusting and filthy. The dirt had always been there, but his lower body felt sticky and dried blood was everywhere. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. The chance that he would get a shower was small, but he could always hope for it.

He curled up into a tight ball, burying his face in his hands, letting his long blonde hair obscure most of it. His cheeks were stained with tears of shame and his lips were bloodied and swollen. Of course there wouldn't be any trace of these cuts in the morning. Not that it would matter if they were still there. No one would believe them if he said he was raped. It was something that was bound to happen sooner or later in any case. Frankly, no one cared either.

Edward slowly brought his fingers to lip, gently running the pad of it over the chapped and puffy pink flesh. He winced as he felt a sudden jolt of pain. His lip must've split. It was funny that he hadn't noticed it until now when it was almost completely healed. Nasty black bruises covered his skin, standing out prominently against the pale flesh. They too were already beginning to heal even if he couldn't see the healing process.

His body trembled as more sobs wracked his body. He was so vile, so filthy. He was secondhand garbage now. He'd been robbed of everything now. Edward used to pride himself in thinking that he hadn't sold his soul to the military, but really, there was nothing to sell, the military had always owned it along with his body. The blonde sniffed and rubbed his tearing itchy eyes. He knew that he must've looked like crap. He sure felt like crap.

"I hate myself," he murmured to himself, face completely obscured now. He was nothing but a dark form in the shadows now. It was then that Edward began to think.

Why was he forcing himself to live a life like this? Why was he letting himself suffer for endless years? There was no way that he'd be let out into the public again. Well, maybe as a corpse, but never alive. He was always going to be a threat. Why was he forcing himself to go through all this? It really made no sense at all. Roy wasn't going to come back to him. Why should he? Besides, coming back for him would completely defeat the purpose of Edward sacrificing his own freedom in the beginning.

"Why am I doing this?" he whispered as he slowly sat himself up and walked over to the sink, limping more than walking. He twisted the faucet and picked up the towel, letting the rough fabric absorb the icy cold water. Edward then began to clean himself off, hoping that it would make him feel less like a two-bit whore and more like a person.

The water's low temperature made him shiver, but the cold was worth being clean. By the time he'd finished, the washcloth was a nasty brownish red color not that Edward cared or even noticed it. He rinsed the washcloth out and pulled his clothes back on. It took him a moment to find them. His pants and underwear had been thrown off into the opposite corner while his shirt on the other hand, had been shoved underneath the bed.

He chewed on his thumb, eyes fixed on the dark ground. He still felt terrible. The self-hate was growing as his thoughts turned to Roy. What would he say if he found out about this? He'd get angry most likely. Edward cursed himself for being so weak and stupid. Why had he even swallowed? Sure, choking would've been uncomfortable, but he'd have lived. If he hadn't swallowed then he would've had the strength to push toothpick man back. He would've been able to defend himself.

He felt his chest tighten and his legs give out beneath him. He slumped on the ground, arms wrapped around his knees. His fingers ran over the multiple cuts, creating a sharp stinging sensation, but Edward ignored it. Instead he reached up for the glass by the sink and gently lifted it to his dry lips. He was grateful to find that there was some water left in the glass. His throat hurt and hopefully the water would soothe it.

The cool liquid sloshed around, his hand shaking as he gratefully took two large gulps before finding that he couldn't get anymore. It wasn't because the glass was empty, but because the slick glass had slipped out from in-between his shaky fingers. It now was scattered across the floor in multiple pieces, a few of the larger pieces of glass rocking slightly.

He let out a hiss of annoyance and ran his fingers through his hair. Today had really not been his day. If anyone saw this mess then he'd be in for another round of punishment for sure. He carefully plucked the pieces up off the ground and set them gently in the sink where they wouldn't do any harm. Edward let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the mess was no longer in view. He'd have to do a more thorough search in the morning or whenever they replaced that dead bulb.

Tired and sore, the blonde-haired boy gingerly climbed back into his bed and wrapped the blankets around himself. At least he had indeed gotten some extra ones and wouldn't be cold anymore. He shuddered and closed his eyes, waiting for the blissful slip into dreamland, a place where he wouldn't have to think. It never came.

----

Edward let out a cry of anguish as he was thrown back into his cell, back colliding painfully with the wall. He coughed and wheezed as he slowly picked his bloodied body up. Using the back of his hand, the blonde wiped away a trail of blood that gushed from his mouth. He must've bitten his tongue. A nasty black-blue bruise had formed on his abdomen and many other bruises marred his almost flawless skin. Crimson oozed out of shallow cuts and bright red burn marks stood out like sore thumbs.

"Maybe that'll teach you some respect, you bastard!" a voice snapped, voice sharp and venomous. Edward looked up, but the guards that had so lovingly flung him against the wall only seconds beforehand had already begun to walk away.

"Assholes," Edward grumbled under his breath as he brought himself completely upright, using the wall to steady himself. It was incredibly painful to breathe – a few broken ribs could do that – and his entire body trembled slightly from shock. Even the smallest movement sent a sharp stab of pain through his body. It was days like these that Edward really wished he was dead.

It wasn't surprising at all to see the eldest Elric all bloodied up, his limp body being dragged back to his cell from the main labs. Honestly, the blonde didn't understand why the scientists would have to cut him up so much. If they wanted a dissection why didn't they just kill him and get it over with? But then again, that would leave them without a test subject to torment. That really would kill all the fun. Besides, they still wanted something from the boy and the last thing they wanted was for him to die.

The military was still searching in vain for the thing that made vampires so powerful, their bodies almost flawless. They wanted to give their soldiers that advantage, but without the defect, the blood lust. It was true that they could just have the boy bite every soldier, but then they'd have a massive threat on their hands as well. The higher-ups decided that the need for human blood was too large of a sacrifice to be made for the perfect army.

However, Edward had thought rationally about all this. If the soldiers became more powerful then wouldn't they rebel? If they were so strong then why should they take orders from a bunch of weak humans? It was a fruitless mission in any case as far as he was concerned, but when he had told the scientists about his thoughts they had just laughed. This of course had confused Edward, but afterwards he eventually was told about a special chemical that would cancel out the free-will humans possessed after coming in contact with the brain. With the vampire genes and that chemical the soldiers would become nothing but a bunch of super-powered lapdogs. You couldn't possibly imagine how hard Edward had laughed at that plan. The stupidity of it all was just too funny.

Edward took in a few shallow breaths, hissing loudly whenever his ribs were affected in the slightest manner. Hopefully his vampire cells would get to work quickly and heal him. He shuddered and collapsed onto his bed, not really caring if he turning the off-white sheets a deep red. He frowned, fingers digging into the mattress. How much longer was he going to sit back and take this abuse? Edward longed to give all those military people a good smack across the face, but a kick in the balls would do nicely as well.

He contemplated this as he lay there in the thick silence. The loud guards would be back soon enough to raise hell and then he wouldn't be able to even hear his thoughts. Anger flashed in him when he thought about toothpick man. Almost three weeks had passed since that incident, but to Edward it still felt like it had happened just the night before. He made sure to give him the most hostile of glares whenever he appeared in Edward's line of vision.

Edward's head snapped towards the sink. The glass shards still sat there in a pile. Thankfully no one had discovered them yet. He fingers twitched ever so slightly and the corners of his lips pulled back into a small mirthless smile. Pushing himself up off the bed, Edward confidently strode over to the sink and pulled out one of the many sharp transparent fragments. He fingered the piece for a moment, rolling it around, examining it.

Really, it was all so simple. Why hadn't he thought of this before? Well, he actually had considered this path before, but had pushed it away thinking that one day he was going to get out. He had been stupid back then. Stupid and hopeful. A terrible combination.

He hands quivered as he brought the glass to his neck. His teeth pressed into his lip. Was he sure about this? He shut his eyes. Yes. There was nothing more to live for after all. In his future there was just going to be more pain, more torture, and more dreams about something that could never be.

"Stop shaking you stupid coward," he whispered harshly to himself. He took in one final breath before bringing the glass piece across the vulnerable flesh of his neck, creating a clean deep cut. Edward let out a hiss of pain as it seared through him, but ignored it and quickly made two more deep cuts, one across his upper arm where an artery was and one across his wrist for good measure. The last thing he wanted was to slowly die of blood loss. He wanted a quick death.

Edward felt his breathing become labored as he leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down, butt meeting with the floor. He sighed as he felt his strength slowly disappear as he kept the cuts from clotting. Eventually he'd pass out and that would be it. A sad smile graced his lips. It was too bad that he'd never see Roy ever again. He'd never see Al, Winry, Auntie Pinako, Havoc, Fuery, Hawkeye, even Envy. He laughed at that last one. Dying really did make you think silly things. To even think that'd he'd miss the emerald-haired homunculus. He closed his eyes. Maybe he would miss their encounters. He'd always been fascinated by that shape-shifting ability. It was marvelous how the sin could fluidly step over from one form to another.

He let out another tired sigh as he body slumped some more. Everything was becoming a bit muddled now. He barely noticed the unnerving waterfall of blood running over his skin or the metallic smell that made him feel sick to his stomach. Hell, he barely noticed the loud clanging of his cell being thrown open and a long string of expletives that followed.

Edward lazily lifted his head, blinking dumbly as he tried to get his vision to focus long enough to identify who had just come in to his cell. Gold eyes met purple ones for a moment before Edward let his head fall back down. He was too tired to keep it up. Whoever was here right now probably couldn't do much for him at the moment.

"Dammit, Chibi-san!" the purple-eyed person hissed, the voice vaguely familiar to Edward's ears. He felt cool fingers lift up his chin, forcing him to look at the newcomer. "You're still fucking useful, so don't you dare die on me!" the voice snapped menacingly. Ed frowned as he studied the person's face. Most of the features were blurred, but he could make out the dark brown hair, the light skin, and the angular facial features.

"You?" Edward whispered weakly, "The shrink? What the hell are you…" The blonde trailed off, body going slack.

"Shit!" the boy's psychiatrist cursed loudly. By now more people were entering the cell, crowding around the blonde's bloody limp form.

There was a mixture of sentiments, most of which weren't very kind. Some of the guards excitedly asked whether the boy was dead or not. Others just shrugged indifferently and stood off to the side, curious to see what sort of action would be taken. Then there were the scientists who were frantically trying everything in their power to rush the boy off to the infirmary, which they eventually did and everyone filed out of the cell – nothing more to see here folks. However, one person remained behind.

The psychiatrist sighed and ran his long slender fingers through his short hair. He was a tall lanky man who seemed slightly disproportioned if you looked closely. His face was smooth and cleanly shaven. Dark eyebrows knitted together in thought and amethyst eyes narrowed. The man let out a low hiss between his slightly crooked teeth as his fingers rested on his forehead. All this trouble was really starting to give him a headache.

"Damn. Chibi-san is even more of a pain now," the man muttered as he finally exited the cell. "Lust is going to get on my case again if this doesn't work out." He stretched a bit, rising up onto the balls of his feet for a moment. "This is all really just a major pain in the ass."

----

**AN:** Woah. Long chappie there. -le gasp-. But yes, I'll update soon I hope. Myesh. Poor Edo. I feel bad now. Ha. Okay. I'm over it. Don't forget to review. Sorry if the chapter seems slightly rushed as well. I was rather pressed for time when I wrote this.


	3. Two

**AN:** Whoo. I'm really happy with the amount of reviews I'm getting. It really makes me happy. Though, I just found out that I'm reeeeally strange. You see, I laugh during movies like The Grudge and The Ring, but I screamed during Man of the Year? Where's the logic in that? I laugh at horror movies, but I scream during a comedy o.o;; Weird, right? Yeah. I thought so too.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Full Metal Alchemist.

----

**B l o o d . F e v e r**

- T w o -

----

_Doctor, I'm feeling a little guilty today…_

----

Sunlight streamed in through the large windows in General Roy Mustang's office. However, the warm rays did nothing to ease up the cold's icy grip and the faulty heating system left much to be desired. In short, the raven-haired General and all of his subordinates were trying their best to not catch their death as they shivered inside their thick navy blue uniforms, too cold to even remotely concentrate on the steadily increasing mounds of paperwork.

2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc casually blew out another puff of smoke, which quickly joined the thick cloud of cancer-inducing toxins that floated lazily about his head. The ever-present cancer stick was held between his index and middle finger, precariously teetering towards the desk. No one would be surprised if the lethargic lieutenant dropped his precious half-burnt up cigarette on the desk. Actually, everyone was hoping that a good two piles or more of paperwork would be reduced to cinders if said cigarette were to fall. But no, instead the white tobacco stick was snuffed out in the almost completely full ashtray, joining the rest of its fallen comrades.

Havoc sniffed and debated on whether he should light up another cigarette as he eyed the ashtray. He frowned. He should probably clean that thing out soon, but instead of acting upon that thought, the blonde just shrugged and dug around in his pocket for another cigarette, which he found easily enough. Truthfully, Jean didn't really care if this was his seventh cigarette in the past hour. After all, his lungs were probably already damaged enough as it was, what could one more possibly do?

It was always just one more when it came to Jean. Just one more cigarette. One more kiss. One more minute. Whatever. Master Sergeant Kain Fuery was used to that sort of behavior by now. After all, the two of them have been a couple for almost four years now. It was just a Jean-ism, something you adjusted to.

Kain had his own mannerisms of course. The mousy dark-haired male was known to be very meek and timid – Havoc knew firsthand how easy it was to make the poor man blush. Plus there was always that neatness. It was easy to see how out of place the young man's desk was in this smoky, cluttered room filled with mountains upon mountains of paperwork.

The last male in the room was of course, the General himself. Roy Mustang had always been a charming, suave man, a true lady-killer to say the least. Amongst the ladies – some of the men as well – he was considered a heartthrob, while the majority of the male populace resented him for stealing away their girlfriends. Havoc used to be one of his most unfortunate victims during the Pre-Fuery Period. He was also ambitious, arrogant, and confident. It showed clearly in his quick ascendance of the ranks.

Roy sighed and flicked another damp wad of paper up towards the ceiling where it joined the ever growing collection. Another thing about the General was his total disregard for completing paperwork. Honestly, he thought it was a pointless creation. After all, why in the world did a request for more red pens explicitly need his signature? Now that he was a General the paperwork came in by the truckloads.

The bored General frowned as he gazed at the paperwork before him. If he still were a Colonel then he'd have half the amount sitting in front of him, possibly even less! But, becoming Fuhrer was his dream, thus the need for climbing ranks, but the onyx-eyed male couldn't help but get a sour taste in his mouth every time he was referred to as 'General Mustang'. The reason probably stemmed from the fact that he had used someone dear to him as a stepping stone to get this high.

A low almost inaudible hiss escaped his lips as he crumpled up another wad of paper and threw it up at the ceiling with more force than the others. Every time he thought about the blonde boy he'd become irritated and the sour taste would return. He just felt so guilty, getting such praise for something he hadn't done. Why had he gotten promoted because Edward had taken the full-force of the blow for him? It was so unfair. He didn't even know what the military had done with the poor boy, but he at least knew that Ed was still alive. Maybe not well, but he was still alive. He'd have been told if he were dead.

Roy leaned back in his chair, his feet resting upon the desk. Now that he was General, no one bothered to tell him to keep his feet on the ground. After all, the desk was his so why should they even care? His gaze traveled from the diligent Fuery, who was bundled up in scarf and all, to the lazy Havoc, who was making a small fire with his cigarette butts. That heater really needed to be fixed.

"Havoc!" Roy barked, snapping the blonde out of his hazy daydreaming. The poor man almost fell out of his chair. He would've surely lost his cigarette that way.

"Y-yes, sir?" Jean said as he scrambled to steady himself up on his feet and manage a proper salute at the same time. Roy smiled sweetly, a rare sight these days – Havoc diagnosed the General's somber joy-less attitude as a lack of nighttime activity with the females.

"What time is it?" the General asked, patiently waiting for a reply. Havoc stared at him for a moment before glancing over at Fuery, who just shrugged as he dumped another stack of paper in a thick folder.

"It's… half past four," Havoc replied quickly as he glanced down at his wristwatch – a gift from Fuery of course. "Why?" Jean had expected the General to have a watch on at the very least. He knew that Roy could be scatterbrained at times and irresponsible, but he figured that from all the gifts the General received that a watch would be among them.

"Oh. No reason," Roy replied as he turned to stare out the window. The ground was covered in a thick layer of powdery December snow. The General sighed. Only two more weeks till Christmas. However, the entire headquarters was already in the Christmas spirit – they had been for a month already. Holly and ribbons decorated every inch of every hallway and mistletoe had been strategically placed by the female officers in hopes of stealing a kiss from _the_ Roy Mustang. They hadn't had much luck so far.

Eventually Roy became bored with the white landscape and began to doodle little red swirls on a piece of scrap paper – or was it paperwork? If anyone came in then they would infer that the General was hard at work. Yes. He was working very hard indeed. Roy had vowed to cover every inch of the paper in swirls. However, it seemed that that vow was one that he would have to break as the door to the office swung open, nearly falling off its hinges.

"General Mustang, sir!" a young officer exclaimed as he stepped into the room, face slightly flushed, blue eyes wide with worry – a tad of nervousness and fear maybe? – rumpled dirty blonde hair sticking up at every possible angle. His lithe body was almost completely rigid. It would be hard not to notice his uneasiness.

"Yes?" Roy replied, feeling himself tense up in worry just by looking at the young man's expression. Something told the General that the young officer hadn't just stopped by for a spot of tea. He could see the heavy air of bad news hovering about the man and by the expressions on Havoc and Fuery's faces Roy knew that they could see it as well.

"There's been an accident down at the labs," the officer said, slightly out of breath, "the Fuhrer requests the presence of all the Generals." Upon hearing this, Roy stood up stiffly. His eyes told his two subordinates that he would be back shortly and that they should resume their duties.

"Very well," the dark-eyed man said as he walked towards the door. The officer nodded, still feeling anxious when around the General, after all, he was regarded as a hero, brave enough to stand up to an inhuman creature. He'd even gotten a promotion to general in the process – it had also helped that one of the older generals had received an untimely death and needed a replacement.

The young officer and Roy walked in an awkward silence for the better part of the time. The young man kept fidgeting, forcing Mustang to conclude that the man was a jumpy fellow. The silence between them remained until Roy inquired about what sort of incident he was being called out to see. The officer replied that he did not know and that was the end of that conversation.

It didn't take very long to reach the military's labs. It was only a short walk to the car and then a fifteen minute or so drive. The silence hovering between the two males left Roy to contemplate what in the world needed his attention at the labs. He gnawed on his thumb as his thoughts returned to a certain blonde male.

'_Edward, you're such an idiot. Giving up your entire life for me? So stupid,_' Roy thought gloomily as the white landscape rolled by.

His heart ached every time he thought about Edward. It had gotten worse and worse over the years. His mind kept telling him that it would get worse before it got better, but Roy was starting to doubt that voice. Now the ache was so bad that he couldn't bear the thought of going out with another person anymore. It was indeed odd for the General to not have a date every night of the week not because he couldn't get one, but because he didn't want one.

Roy closed his eyes and let the pleasant heat from the car envelope him completely – at least there was a working heater _somewhere_. It was hard for him to keep the thoughts of Edward away from the front of his consciousness. At night he'd have those taunting sensual dreams. While they played themselves out in his head he'd truly believe that it was real. The sensations and the images were so real that it was hard to tell the difference between his dreamscape and his reality. During the day they'd replay over and over again, leaving the man with an agonizing need that he couldn't satisfy. Maybe Havoc was right. Maybe he really did need to get laid.

"General Mustang, sir?" a meek voice questioned, pulling Roy out of his daydreams. The General looked over at the young blonde officer.

"Yes?" he asked.

"We've arrived."

Roy let out a sigh as his gaze moved up to rest upon the drab gray, almost windowless building before him. It made him wonder why the military insisted on making these buildings look so uninviting. They really were ugly. He frowned before nodding as he opened the car door and stepped outside into the cold, snow crunching beneath his boots.

"Let's get this over with," he murmured, more to himself than to the nervous young man, who had almost tripped over his own feet as he got out of the car.

----

"Edward! Please sit still!" the blonde's psychiatrist said with a strained calmness. Edward was really pushing his buttons and the man was about to whack the boy unconscious just for some peace. He really was tired of listening to all the angry complaints and the incessant fidgeting was making him twitch.

"Why should I?" the boy shot back angrily, struggling to open the locked door. He punched at it, kicked at it, he even tried to blow it up with alchemy, but it was just like his cell. Underneath it was a transmutation circle that activated the split second that the door was destroyed. Before Ed could even hope of getting out the door would be back in place, looking like it had never been destroyed in the first place. His cell bars worked the same way. There was no way of getting rid of the transmutation circle either. Edward had already tried.

"Because if you don't sit still we'll never be able to leave this room," the shrink said, forcing a small fake smile. Oh god. How he hated this. He really was going to give Lust a piece of his mind when he got home. The man sighed and drummed his fingers on the table in front of him.

Unlike the rest of the lab, this room actually resembled a homely sort of place. The concrete walls had been replaced with deep red ones and the floor was covered in white carpet. There were a few bookcases, a desk, a table, a comfortable plush sofa, and a few armchairs. Even a window graced the room with its presence, giving anyone in the room a nice view of the outside world.

Edward froze at the promise of leaving this place. Hell, he'd rather be in a cold and dirty cell instead of in this suffocating room where everything you sat on ate you – translation: your butt would sink into the cushions. He sighed and plopped back down in his armchair, frowning as he sank down into the soft fabric.

"Fine," he grumbled, pulling the sleeves of his new shirt – the lab had finally decided it was time for some new clothes. It was a black turtleneck, which would make him more comfortable during the winter months and it also helped hide the bandages wrapped tightly around his neck, upper arm, and wrist. Although he'd been saved from his suicide attempt, Edward still was rather weak and his healing process had been slowed down considerably.

He sighed and examined the hole in the right knee of his new beige pants. His tattered shorts had been replaced with a pair of pants that were clearly second-hand. The bottoms were frayed and there was that hole that never ceased to draw his attention. There were also numerous smudges and streaks of dirt. Edward didn't care much about the lack of cleanliness. He was just glad that he wasn't wearing rags anymore.

"Much better," the psychiatrist said, still wearing that forced smile. "Now, you know why you're here, right Edward?" The man tried his best not to make a face when he said the boy's name. The mere sight of the blonde made him think of _that_ person. However, he couldn't help but find it amusing that even with his super-human powers, Edward still couldn't figure out his true identity even though he wore a disguise – a pretty damn good one at that even if it was uglier than his usual 'cute' form.

The man leaned back in his chair and studied his hand. Really, it was rather strange to look at yourself and see another person, but he had long since gotten used to it. After all, he was a three-hundred or so year old homunculus – truthfully, he'd lost count of his age a while back – named Envy. His shape shifting power really did suit his name. Taking on the form of others was like wishing you could be them, but really, Envy never did dig that deep into his name. He really didn't give a rat's ass about it. He was Envy and that was that. However, he was eternally grateful that he hadn't been named Greed – '_Thank God._'

"I'm here because I'm a threat to society?" Edward said, still sulking, arms crossed across his chest. He really hated this shrink. All he ever did was talk and smile, but Edward knew just as well as he did that neither one of them wanted to be here right now.

"No, Edward," the 'not-really-a-psychiatrist-but-a-homunculus-in-disguise' replied in the best soothing voice he could muster. "You're here because you're a threat to yourself," he said slowly. There was a pause as Edward snorted and sunk even deeper into the cushions.

"Whatever," the blonde replied in a bored fashion, not really caring anymore. Envy chose this time to let the smile slip and take on the serious/concerned expression he'd been practicing in the mirror earlier.

"No, Edward. This is a very serious issue. You tried to commit suicide. Why?" the homunculus asked, faking sincerity perfectly. '_Too bad it didn't work,_' he added in his head. Edward shot him an angry glare.

"What do you think?" the boy spat angrily.

"I think you're crying out for attention. You think that if you do something drastic like this then people will pay more attention for you." Ooh. He was good when it came to psychobabble.

"What the hell are you smoking?"

"Nothing. Not that what I might be 'smoking' concerns you, Edward. These sessions are about you and _your_ problems."

"I don't have any goddamn problems! All this is the military's fault!" Edward snapped, anger quickly rising. Envy sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to appear as if in deep thought.

"Edward, I know that blaming others is an easy solution to your problems, but I need you to accept that trying to kill yourself was your idea, your action. No one forced you to slit your wrists, did they?"

"Technically it was one wrist, my arm, and my neck."

"Yes. Well, committing suicide was your idea, yes?"

"Of course. Who in their right mind wants to live in this dump?"

"There! We've made some progress already!" Envy said cheerily, clapping his hands together. Maybe he was starting to get way too into this 'undercover' thing. "Accepting and admitting is the first step to solving the problem." Edward just stared at him.

"Seriously, what the hell are you smoking?"

"Nothing, Edward, like I said before. The answer will stay the same no matter how many times you ask. Now, back to your failed suicide attempt." Envy shifted around in his seat, crossing his legs. "Why did you do it?"

"Because I hate my life," Edward said simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why do you hate your life?"

"Because it sucks."

"Why?"

"Do you ever ask anything besides 'why'?" Edward asked, his annoyance clear. Envy couldn't help but smirk inwardly. It was always fun to push the blonde boy's buttons. After all, Edward always looked much better angry or in pain – Envy greatly preferred the latter however.

"Yes." There was a small pause. "Do you still hate your life?" Edward stared at him as if he had just asked if the sky was blue.

"Okay. Let's put you in my shoes for a second. You were unwillingly turned into a vampire and then thrown into a dingy cell where you would've easily died if you were human. Everyday you get stabbed, cut up, and prodded at until the scientists decide that they're bored with you and leave. Then you're back in your cell, wondering if you're ever going to get out and– " Envy cut him off.

"If you could get out, would you?" Edward stared at him for a moment.

"Of course," Edward replied softly, his anger subsiding for the moment. Envy nodded. Well, that much should've been obvious from the earlier suicide attempt.

"Would you do anything to get out?" the homunculus asked, gaze hardening. Edward couldn't help but shiver slightly under it. The young vampire bit his lip, fingers digging into the chair's fabric. Anything? He'd already been subjected to the worst of the worst, so why couldn't he do it again?

"Y-yes," he replied, his voice sounding unsure, but it was enough for the homunculus. Envy sighed and stood up.

"Suicide is a way to draw attention and escape," the homunculus said. Edward frowned, body tensing as Envy walked towards the door. "You're a murderer, Edward Elric; attracting attention is probably the last thing you want to do. I'm beginning to believe that you might be suffering from a mental illness. We will continue this discussion another time." Envy then opened the door and stepped outside just as Edward flew straight into another fit of rage.

"What the hell do you know you goddamn shrink?" Edward spat, standing up, body trembling. "You've never been locked in a cell for three fucking years! You've never been treated like something that's lower than dirt! You've never been raped all because you wanted a fucking blanket just because the shit one you had wasn't enough to keep you warm! So what the hell do you know? You don't know shit about me, so don't act like you do!" Edward's voice cracked towards the end as he sunk to his knees, tears rolling down his cheeks. It didn't take long before he began to sob.

----

"The Fuhrer has requested that all the generals present in Central help out with the project as the subject has become increasingly hostile and more difficult to control. You also have prior experience in these matters so the Fuhrer would be eternally grateful to you if you would graciously provide us with some assistance."

Roy remained silent as the beautiful brunette walking beside him explained the situation and why he had been called down. Her large amber eyes sparkled slightly as she looked at him, red painted lips pulled back into a small smile. What was her name again? Roy glanced down at the nametag pinned to her pale pink suit. Oh. Veronica.

"So, who is this subject exactly?" Roy asked calmly as the two of them continued to walk down the equally drab halls. Really, this building had no color. No life. He didn't like it.

"I believe you are acquainted with him," Veronica said softly as she tucked a lock of her long silky hair behind her ear. "He was a former subordinate of yours." Roy's breath hitched in his throat. "An Edward Elric I believe. I don't know all the details about him as I don't work in that area of the lab," she finished with a charming smile, but Roy was too bothered by this news to notice. Veronica would have to throw her fishing line out another day.

Roy's frown deepened. So Edward was being kept in this place. The heavy burden of guilt he'd already been carrying seemed to grow heavier with each step. He should've known that the blonde would be experimented on. He had been stupid to think that they wouldn't. However, although the guilt had grown, Roy couldn't help but feel his heart swell with joy. He'd see Edward again and this time he'd really be there. This time he wouldn't be but a cruel figment of his mind.

Roy's heart was already thrumming painfully against his rib cage by the time he heard the blonde's shouts. He couldn't exactly make out what the boy was saying, but he knew for sure that it was indeed Edward's voice. Soon enough he and Veronica stopped in front of a door. Another man that Roy had never seen before stood in front of it. The man seemed to look surprised when he saw the General, but the surprise left as quickly as it had come.

"General Mustang? This is John Thomas. He's one of the psychiatrists, one of the best actually," Veronica said as 'John' shook hands with Roy. The psychiatrist smiled warmly.

"That's very kind of you to say, Veronica, but I don't think I really deserve such praise." He turned back towards the General. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

By now the shouting had stopped and Roy could hear the faint sound of Edward crying from within the confines of the room. His heart clenched painfully in his chest. He was pretty sure that this wasn't the only time Edward had cried during the three years they'd been apart.

"He's been very upset as of late," John said softly, "I believe that he's starting to feel the aftermath of all his guilt. Sixteen is a very young age to be convicted of murder." The man sighed. "Edward tried to kill himself early this morning. The scientists are becoming worried that they'll lose their test subject." Roy bristled inwardly at this comment, but his face remained expressionless. He wasn't going to let his mask slip in front of _these_ people. "This is why we called you out here General Mustang along with the other generals. A pity that the rest of them were away. However, we hope that your previous experience with dealing with Edward will help calm him down." The psychiatrist smiled. "He should be relatively docile at the moment, so he shouldn't try anything. Veronica and I will be right outside along with a few officers if you need any help. We're on a rather tight schedule at the moment, so you only have fifteen minutes with the boy today. Will that be enough?"

"Yes," Roy replied with a curt nod and let his hand rest on the doorknob. The two other adults decided that it was time to take their leave and moved to sit in the small lobby that sat right in front of the small room where Edward currently sat. Roy let out a small sigh and twisted the doorknob, pushing the door open.

----

Edward's head shot up the moment he heard the muffled voices coming from the other side of the door. He sniffed the air and froze. It couldn't be. His entire body tensed. Was this just another one of his dreams? Had he fallen asleep? He began to panic. What if he really was asleep in that creepy shrink's office? What if he was muttering in his sleep? What if he was getting a hard-on at this very moment? Oh hell.

He jumped slightly when he saw the doorknob twist. His heart began to beat faster and faster until it seamed to be hammering in his ears. Golden eyes looked about frantically and Edward dove behind one of the armchairs, curling into a small ball just as the door opened, eyes scrunched tightly together.

----

Roy frowned when he looked around the room as the door clicked softly behind him. There was no one in the room. He took a step into the room, hand leaving the doorknob. Obsidian eyes traveled about the room, but there was no sign of the blonde boy he'd been hoping to see. His frown deepened.

"Edward?" he called out hopefully. "Are you in here?" There was no response. Only silence. Roy sighed and put his hands on his hips as he did another sweep of the room with his eyes. "Oh! I wonder where Edward could be! He's just so _small_ that I cannot possibly find him!" the General said dramatically. He thought he heard a small grunt of anger, but then again he couldn't be sure.

Roy sighed and began to walk around the room, searching for the small blonde boy. This really was becoming a pain. He gave a small grunt as he straightened himself up after bending over to look under the desk. Maybe he really was becoming old. He frowned and immediately scolded himself for thinking such things. His eyes scanned the room yet again, but this time it wasn't in vain.

The dark-haired man smirked when he saw something beige – namely the seat of Ed's pants – sitting behind one of the armchairs he had not inspected yet. He carefully made his way over towards the chair, noticing that the beige thing stiffened as he did so.

"Edward, don't worry, it's just me," he whispered softly as he pulled the chair away, revealing the small blonde vampire hiding behind it. Roy smiled as the boy slowly turned around, but the smile quickly faded when he saw the still damp cheeks and the trails the tears left behind. "Edward?" he asked, worried that the boy hadn't done anything but stare at him dumbly. Then without warning the young man broke out into a laughing fit.

"Oh my god! I can't believe that I actually thought this was real!" Edward said, still laughing as he clutched his sides. "Really! The idea of this is all so stupid! I mean, come on! Like you'd really even set foot in this hellhole! Ah! This is so rich! I just know what's going to happen next! We'll have sex or something close to it and I'll wake up with a hard-on or a pair of wet pants!" His laughing continued while Roy just stared dumbly in shock. "Fun, no? Well, probably not so because for all I know I'm asleep in the goddamn shrink's office and he making notes of everything I do. Stupid pervert." Ed sighed. "Whatever. I suppose as long as I'm still dreaming I should make the most of it." He shrugged and picked himself off the floor.

Roy was well-aware of the light blush on his cheeks. He had no idea that Edward had been having _those_ dreams about him, but right now he wasn't sure on what to do. Either Edward was going crazy like John had said, or he was dreaming. Roy gave himself a good pinch. It hurt. Okay. That left option one, but he didn't have much time to think about it because Edward had decided to kiss the General at that very moment.

The raven-haired man toppled backwards in surprise, his bottom colliding rather painfully with the ground and Edward falling on top of him. However, the sudden fall did not deter Edward from his mission. The blonde quickly pinned Roy to the ground and kissed him more forcefully, straddling the man's waist. It would be a lie to say that Roy wasn't enjoying this, but the General couldn't help but feel guilty. Edward thought all of this was a dream, so everything he was doing now could just be in the spur of the moment and the boy might regret it later.

"Edward," Roy tried to shout, but it only came out as a muffled murmur. He squirmed underneath the vampire, trying to get Edward to pull away from him long enough so that he could speak. Roy turned his head sharply to the side, effectively breaking the kiss. He panted, trying to catch his breath before looking back towards the stunned blonde.

"Roy?" Edward questioned, his expression clearly a worried one. Roy smiled softly and sat up once he felt the grip on his wrists loosen. Wrapping his arms around the boy, he sighed.

"Listen, Edward," he began, "This isn't a dream. It's real. I'm real. You're real. This is all real." He pinched the boy's cheek – not too hard of course. Edward frowned when he felt the pressure. "You felt that didn't you?"

"Yes, but in dreams you can feel anything," Edward murmured, his golden eyes boring into Roy's dark ones. "You can feel anything you want to feel in a dream. The pinching test doesn't work."

"But have you ever tried to pinch yourself in a dream before?"

"No."

"Has anyone else pinched you in a dream before?"

"No."

"There!" Roy said with a satisfied smirk. "I'm really here. The Fuhrer called me down here to help them deal with you. Apparently you've been causing trouble." Roy sighed and shook his head. His eyes then caught sight of the bandages around Edward's wrist as the sleeve of the turtleneck slipped down. "So you really did try and kill yourself."

Edward nodded, turning away in shame, cheeks burning furiously as he quickly pulled the sleeve back down. "Yes," he murmured, "I felt that there was nothing more to live for because I knew I wouldn't see you again." He bit his lip. "I was tired of being torture both while I was awake and while I was asleep." He froze, suddenly remembering what he had said earlier. "Oh hell. Did I say what I think I said? You know, when I thought this was all a dream?"

"You mean about having wet dreams about me? Yeah," Roy replied, smirk growing. "I'm flattered Edward. I didn't know you want to have sex with me so badly." It was then that Edward became as red as a ripe tomato.

"Shuddup," Edward said embarrassedly, looking away from the other man, who had decided to nuzzle against Edward's head. "It's not my fault I missed you."

"Mmm. I missed you too," Roy replied, closing his eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry that I put you through all this," he murmured, the guilt returning. Edward shook his head.

"It's alright. It was worth it if it made you happy and kept you safe," Edward replied with a sigh, leaning against the other man. Every moment he was spending with Roy seemed surreal. Half of his brain told him that this couldn't possibly be happening, but the other half just told him to stop thinking and just enjoy this for what it was worth.

"Edward, I wasn't happy. I kept getting this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I thought about you. You couldn't imagine all the guilt. It was horrible. The lies I had to tell everyone. They believed everything. No one knows the truth." He sighed, hanging his head in unhappiness. "Maybe I'm too good of a liar."

"You better be happy that you're a good liar otherwise you'd be sitting in a cell of your own right now," Edward said, his voice serious. "Trust me. You don't want this life."

"I know, Edward. I know." Edward nodded and closed his eyes. He shuddered slightly as he remembered toothpick man.

'_How can I just sit here and let him hold me like this?_' Ed thought bitterly to himself, '_I'm unclean. Roy shouldn't touch me. But… I want him to. I want him to hold me. It's selfish isn't it? Whatever_.' Edward really didn't care much anymore.

Shrugging slightly, Edward pressed his face even more into Roy's chest, breathing in the man's smell. The boy couldn't help but smile. Even after all these years the man still smelled of coffee, ashes, and vanilla. He shifted around a bit in the General's lap before looking up, his gaze locking with Roy's.

"Yes?" the raven-haired man asked, eyebrows going up in question. Edward just smile and pressed a gentle kiss to Roy's lips.

"I'm glad I got to see you again," the blonde murmured, smiling. Roy laughed and ruffled the boy's hair.

"You really haven't changed at all," Roy said, grinning. "You look just like I remember. Makes me wonder when you'll start growing." He snickered as Edward punched him playfully in the arm.

"Stop it," the young vampire grumbled. "It's not my fault."

"Of course it's not," Roy replied planting a loving kiss on top of the blonde's head. Just as he did so there was a knock on the door. Edward tensed and quickly scrambled off of the older male and hid behind his armchair again, glaring at the door. Roy picked himself up off the ground and had just finished straightening his uniform when John pushed the door open, a bright smile on his face.

"Sorry to cut this short, but Edward is due to be back in his cell in five minutes. I hope you understand General Mustang, sir," the psychiatrist said brightly as two guards came in and drug a snarling Edward out from behind the chair and out of the door. Roy could only watch stony-faced as the boy disappeared out of his sight.

"I understand," Mustang replied curtly.

"When will we expect to see you again?"

"When I have time to spare," the General replied as he exited the room. "It's been a pleasure." The last bit rather forced. With that he left the man behind and walked down the hallway towards the exit. Not many could tell this, but the General was considerably happier than when he had entered the building. However, he felt a pang of sadness when he thought of Edward sitting all alone in that dank and dirty cell.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he pushed the door open and stepped outside. The young officer from before was waiting for him just like Roy had expected. Giving a brief nod towards the man, Roy slipped into the car. Not even a full minute later the car was rolling down the road towards Central Headquarters, leaving Roy to his own affairs for a full quarter of an hour. However, not even five minutes into the ride, the young officer said something that shocked Roy right down to the core of his being.

"The 2nd lieutenant called while you were inside," the young officer began, voice shaking slightly. "He said that someone named Alphonse Elric has arrived at Central Headquarters. He sounded rather worried over the phone."

'_Oh shit._'

----

**AN:** Oh lord. This was a long chapter. Mm. Enjoy the happiness while it lasts. There aren't going to be many happy chapters like this. Oh dear. Alphonse is paying our favorite general a little visit. Mm. A bit of a cliffhanger I suppose. Anyways, don't forget to review please.


	4. Three

**AN:** I have no excuse for why I haven't updated in like five months. All I can say was that I had insane writer's block, which still hasn't completely unblocked itself. However, I really want to thank everyone who has reviewed. I really love hearing all your comments, especially those long ones. I hope you all had a lovely holiday season and a Happy New Year. I sure did. Why? Because I got fanart! Yes, the lovely Zero Infection has drawn me something. You can find it here:

www (dot) deviantart (dot) com (slash) deviation (slash) 45830143 (slash)

Just replace everything accordingly and you'll see it :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Full Metal Alchemist.

----

**B l o o d . F e v e r**

- T h r e e -

----

_Doctor, I'm feeling a little deceitful today…_

----

The snow made soft crunching noises beneath Roy's heavy steps, the white powder clinging to the soles of his black boots, accumulating with every step. It created a sort of leaden rhythm that made the general feel like he was walking to his own execution, which in a sense he was. After all, he highly doubted that Alphonse would be happy with any answer he would be given. Although he couldn't exactly be certain about why the boy had decided to pay him a visit so suddenly, but Roy had a pretty good idea.

The sun was starting to dip down beneath the horizon, disappearing behind a long line of somber buildings. Obsidian eyes watched his shadow as it steadily grew longer and longer, bending completely out of proportion with the real Roy Mustang. However, observing his shadow quickly grow in height caused his heart to clench painfully and for his thoughts once again to return to Edward.

It was painful to say the least. Now that he'd seen the blonde again, Roy found his thoughts wandering back to Edward more often than ever before. Every time the boy resurfaced in the forefront of his mind, his breath would hitch in throat and his teeth would sink into the pink flesh of his lower lip. However, he knew that now wasn't the time to get all emotional. If a moment should come when he needed his impassive liar's mask more than ever then now would be the time.

However, he couldn't push the thoughts of Edward away so easily. It was frightening how the blonde still looked the same as he had three years ago. Like a person caught in a photograph, a captured memory forever frozen in the sands of time, caught between the fine grains, the eldest of the Elric brothers hadn't physically changed one bit. The same golden eyes peered out from behind a curtain of corn-colored hair that still had its usual shine past all the dirt and dust. Edward Elric was like a copper coin. If left in harsh conditions for a period of time, the metallic brown sheen would be hidden underneath an unappealing layer of green, but if cleaned then the coin would gleam as brightly as it ever had.

A small smile came to Roy's lips at the analogy he'd made. Yes, Edward was a copper coin in some ways. However, to the general, Edward was far more valuable than any coin. Not even all the gold in the world came close to how precious the nineteen-year-old was to Roy.

He let out a low whistle, watching his warm breath rise up in thick foggy tendrils. Edward was growing up quickly. Well, in a technical sense. It seemed like just yesterday that he was looking down into the fiery eyes of a foul-mouthed twelve-year-old, who seemed to be too big for his britches.

Roy clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, finding that the thoughts of Edward to be strangely comforting in a way. It was hard to keep his steps going in a forward motion, moving him towards a confrontation he would much rather avoid, but he owed it to Edward to at least speak with his younger brother. However, that didn't mean that he could disclose any confidential information to the younger of the two Elrics. There were some things that must be kept secret.

Carefully picking his way around a particularly slippery patch of ice, Roy started to plan out a sort of script in hopes that he wouldn't be completely unprepared when he stepped into that office. However, Roy was quick on his feet, able to come up with believable fluid lies right on the spot without ensnaring himself in a web of deceit. The general had no reason to be worried, and yet he was. Maybe it was because he would be dealing with Edward's own brother, his flesh and blood.

His brain began to tick away at these thoughts. Was he betraying Edward by withholding information from Alphonse? Or was he doing the right thing? Was he keeping the boy's sacrifice from being in vain? Or was he causing Edward to suffer needlessly? His mind was at a constant tug-o-war with itself now, pushing, pulling, pushing, and pulling. He needed to quiet down this inner battle. All it was doing was distracting him and with this meeting Roy needed to be completely alet. No ifs ands or buts.

Letting his tongue run over his dry lips – not caring that they might just chap – he walked up the stairs into the building, shuddering at the drastic change in temperature, the chilly outside and the warm comfortable interior. The walk down the hallways seemed to have passed in a sort of dream-like state. He floated down them, receiving salute after salute, responding to each one with a curt nod of acknowledgement. Faces didn't register in his mind. All he saw was an interminable sea of navy.

He moved along, the crowds beginning to thin as he neared his office. His heart was thrumming against his chest in what could've been possibly described as fear or perhaps it was nervousness. He really didn't have much time to think it over as he'd reached his final destination. Fingers that were sweaty beneath rough white fabric grasped the doorknob, paused for a moment, and finally pushed the door open with a sharp twist.

Cigarette smoke coupled with a chilly gust of air welcomed him into his office. Dark eyes flicked up from the floor, finding that neither Havoc nor Fuery were at their posts. Instead he found a certain suit of armor sitting on the couch. A very familiar suit of armor that was glaring daggers at him.

"Hello, Alphonse," he said, keeping up an air of politeness – or maybe it was making it seem like he had a ten-mile pole shoved up his ass. It most likely was the latter as the air of hostility surrounding the younger Elric seemed to become even more hostile. "Are you doing well?"

"Where's my brother?" Alphonse demanded, rising to his feet. Well, he'd wasted no time in getting to the point. Roy had expected that and merely walked over to his desk, taking his time before sitting down in his chair.

"E–" He stopped himself, frowning. He rarely used Edward's first name when he was set in the military persona. Plus, he highly doubted that Alphonse knew anything about the romantic relationship that had developed between his brother and the general. "Fullmetal is on a very important mission in the north," he replied, not missing a beat.

Although Alphonse's metal body couldn't change in expression, Roy was sure that the boy's eyes were narrowing dangerously. He hated to admit it, but frankly, Alphonse Elric could be rather terrifying when his older brother was involved.

"It's been three years, Colonel," the boy pressed, "Can't he have a break to see his family?"

"I'm a general now, Alphonse," Roy corrected, picking up a pen and twirling it in between his fingers. "Have a seat." The worried younger brother was reluctant to sit down, but did so anyways.

"Congratulations on your promotion." The words were hollow, almost like they were being read off of a note card. However, Roy thanked him with sincerity. After being in the military for as long as he had you learned how to fake politeness as well as sincerity. They were essential for climbing up through the ranks.

"I'm sorry Alphonse, but your brother can't come home until he's finished the mission," Roy replied, finally setting the pen down and steepling his fingers, elbows resting against the desk's smooth polished surface.

"What is he doing?" Al demanded, voice rising in volume as he swiftly rose to his feet, obviously not satisfied with the answers he'd been given so far. Roy merely let out an exasperated sigh, wondering how long he'd have to be subjected to the boy's badgering.

"I can't tell you that, Alphonse," Roy answered, voice even and showing no signs of the headache that was beginning to form.

"Why not?" he exclaimed. "I'm his younger brother! I have a right to know where my older brother is! I'm worried!"

"I understand that you're concerned, Alphonse, but Edward is fine." He wanted smack himself across the face right then and there. Edward was most certainly not fine. Far from it actually. As far from it as he could get. "And I can't give you that information because it's top secret. You shouldn't even know that he's on a mission, let alone that it's in the north." He let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry, Alphonse, but I can't help you."

The boy within the armor stared at Roy, eyes blazing with anger and frustration. "Is your promotion so damn important?" he hissed, each word dripping with venom. Roy was taken aback, but then remembered that the person within the armor wasn't a child. No, Alphonse was a legal adult now, eighteen years of age.

"This isn't about me," Roy said, standing up as well, body rigid, jaw locked tight. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to quash his rising anger and calm himself down. This was not the time to lose his normal calm and collected demeanor. Definitely not the time. "Go home, Alphonse."

The boy crossed his arms, the armor plates grating over each other. "And if I refuse?" he challenged. It was clear that the boy wasn't leaving this place without an answer. Too bad that Roy wasn't going to give him any.

"Then I'll have someone escort you out." Although it had been phrased in a more polite and proper fashion the meaning was still the same. The younger Elric knew that well enough. He understood what Roy was implying.

"I want answers."

"I can't give them to you."

"Why not?"

"I've already told you that, Alphonse." A sigh followed. Really, they were just going around in circles here, trapped in an incessant circular motion of demand and deny.

"But he's my brother!"

"I'm well aware of that."

"Then why won't you tell me when he's coming home."

"Because I don't know when he'll be back."

Lie. He knew that Edward would never be able to come back to society, to immerse himself in the throng of humans that now seemed so far away. Edward Elric had been erased from the public. The only thing left behind were the memories of him the people he'd met carried and they just might be the things that could turn the military onto its head. How could they not have counted on interference from Edward's friends and family? They wouldn't be satisfied with the mission excuse for too much longer. That was for sure.

"Can you at least give him this?" Alphonse asked, seeming to calm down as he held out a small white envelope. Roy was surprised that he hadn't seen it till now. However, he managed to keep this surprise concealed.

"I'll try my best," he replied, taking the envelope from the younger brother and setting it down on his desk. "I can't guarantee that he'll be able to write a reply or even receive this. The methods of communication where he is are rather primitive as well as faulty."

Alphonse nodded, anger giving way to worry and sadness. His shoulders slumped as a cloud of despondency began to descend over him. He missed his brother badly. Roy could see that with ease. Really, all the man wanted to do was tell the younger Elric were his brother sat and reveal the entire truth, skipping no details. However, that was an impossible thing to do.

"I'll have someone escort you back to your home," Roy said, picking up the phone. "It's dangerous to walk alone in the dark."

It didn't take long for Havoc to arrive on the scene under the order of taking Alphonse Elric back home, a home – Roy finally decided – that shouldn't be empty. Edward should be there, waiting for his younger brother to come home for dinner.

He let out a small sigh, turning around in his chair to stare out the window. The sun had already set and dark shadows were beginning to consume the city. His eyes darted back over to the letter on his desk. Carefully he picked up the envelope, the paper crinkling beneath his gentle touch. A small sigh escaped him as he eyed the trashcan, knowing full well that he should toss the letter and forget that it had ever existed.

However, he could never bring himself to do such a thing, so he rose to his feet, slipped on his dark jacket and exited the now empty office. He had one last errand to run: a delivery.

--

Edward was sitting on his cot when he heard heavy footsteps come down the hallway. His gold eyes flicked up from the dust particle he'd been staring at, wondering who was coming his way. Ever since the incident with toothpick man he'd been wary of the guards, choosing to keep his distance. He even went so far as to move his cot into a far corner.

Reflexively he pressed his back into the wall, fingers curling into fists, the thudding steps echoing in his ears. His heart began to beat faster within his thoracic cavity, smashing against his ribs with each pump. Edward's toes curled as well, pulling the dirty sheets with them, causing the bed to creak loudly. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as the owner of the steps came closer and closer, closer still, and finally he was at Edward's doorstep – in other words his cell door.

His unease seemed to grow as he peered at the man who stood there. It was another one of the guards, but unlike the others, this one seemed to take pride in keeping himself aesthetically pleasing to the human – an inhuman eye. However, the fact that he understood what hygiene was didn't mean much to Edward. It was just a welcome change. He was tired of staring at yellow, plaque-covered teeth in any case.

He heard the loud click of a key turning in the lock and the cell door creaking open, the bars scraping across the floor, creating an unpleasant sound, like nails on a chalkboard. His eyes flicked to the door, which had been left ajar, but he knew better than to make a run for it. He'd tried that before and it had ended in rather unpleasant results.

"You have a letter."

Edward's head snapped up to look at the guard, who now stood only a few feet from him. Eyes flicking to the white, slightly crinkled envelope held in between the man's fingers, the blonde pulled his knees towards his chest in a protective manner. The guard did nothing. Instead he merely stood there, holding out the letter. Slowly and tentatively, Edward extended his hand, reaching out for it. It was nearly in his grasp when the guard snatched it away.

"Didn't say I was going to give it to you, now did I?" the man asked, lips twisting into a near sadistic fashion. Edward felt a lump form in his throat when he knew what was going to be asked of him. The boy shook his head finally when he realized the man was waiting for an answer.

"No," he croaked out, throat suddenly dry. This fact merely seemed to amuse the guard as he let out a soft chuckle.

"I never expected anyone to write to something like you," the guard said as he examined the envelope. "But apparently someone named Alphonse wants to tell you something."

Edward immediately sprung up off the bed, eyes wide as he reached for the letter, but the guard merely stepped back and held it up higher. A low chuckle rang through the room as Edward continued to try and grab the envelope.

"Important person, this Alphonse? What is he? A lover?" the man asked before he kicked the blonde in the chest, knocking him back onto the bed, which shook under the sudden weight and force. Edward thought that it would go ahead and cave in beneath him.

"He's my brother," he replied, coughing as he clutched his chest, feeling the burn of the kick slowly beginning to creep away.

"Brother?" The guard frowned, unhappy that he'd lost a bit of juicy information. Oh well, he just lie and tell the guards that the vampire bitch was fucking his brother. Well, had been. Not like they'd believe Edward if he denied it. Besides, they already thought the blonde was a slut and a whore after Ray had come back, bragging about how he'd gotten into the boy's pants.

Actually, Ray's incredibly detailed retelling of what had happened had made him lust after Edward Elric all the more. It didn't matter to him if most of what Ray had said was untrue. He just wanted to get in the blonde's pants. However, he'd have to hold on that for now. He'd start with something simple, a warm up.

"Well, if you want this," he gave the letter a wave, "Then you're gonna have to work for it." Then with a smirk, he tucked the letter into the front of his pants. That should get the vampire's attention, which it did.

Edward's eyes widened in realization as his jaw locked as his fists clenched. He looked from the guard's face to the envelope, which he so desired to have. If he wanted that letter then he had no choice but to cooperate and do what the man wanted him to do.

Taking a deep breath, he got down on his knees in front of the man and shakily unzipped and unbuttoned the man's pants. The letter fluttered to the ground, but he knew that it would be foolish to go after it now. He could feel the guard's amused gaze upon him as he pushed cloth aside, searching for something he'd rather not find.

He was just about to put his mouth upon the man when he felt fingers tangle in his long blonde hair and jerk him back. Edward gritted his teeth as pain rippled through his scalp. The rough grip forced him to look up at the guard, who was now frowning.

"Keep your fangs in your mouth bitch," he hissed. Edward swallowed and nodded. Then his hair was released enough for him to move his head down and towards the man's lower half. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Nothing," Edward said softly before he went to work.

--

**AN:** I know! I know! I'm absolutely horrible for stopping there and making this chapter short. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! This chapter just wouldn't come out! I've re-written it about fifty times and I still don't like it. But this'll just have to do. Please be kind with your reviews. I know this chapter is just 'ew'.


End file.
